Introducing Baby Stookey!

This lovely couple was the first to sit for me with my new camera body in hand.  Can I just say how much I LOVE it and them?!  So lovely.

Babies and More Babies

I'm going to post these two together since they were shot the same weekend and are about the same topic; new life.  The first is a maternity session for a lovely little family that welcomed their little girl into their lives on the side of SR 512 in Lakewood WA.  This little go-getter wasn't happy with waiting for her mother and father to make it to the hospital, she had her own agenda.  You can read the whole story here: Baby Girl Born on the Side of the Freeway.  Anyway, here is a shot from their session prior to the spunky wee's arrival.

The second shoot was of a slightly different nature, although same general theme.  This family is expecting a little one that was a complete surprise and fairly miraculous.  The parents decided to surprise their two older children with the news of their new sibling during a family shoot and then to use those photos to announce the news to everyone else.  It was a very fun event to be a part of.  I hope to do more pregnancy announcement shoots in the future, they really are a fun way to let the cat out of the bag!

I Am Not a Wedding Photographer.

Let me preface this by stating that I am NOT a wedding photographer.  I am a portrait photographer that has occasionally shot a wedding.  Weddings on a regular basis, dealing with tons of unknown variables, changing conditions, large groups of people, events that you only get one shot at, and those events being attached to someone else's very special memories is a pressure I'm not fond of.  On top of all that you can have weeks and weeks of editing hundreds of photos, making people look their very best.  It's hard.  It's very hard, which is why I have great respect for those that do it for a living and why I understand the large fees they charge.  I have only shot a handful of weddings and only for friends (or relatives of friends) that understand my limits and reservations.  BUT, I will say that I do love being a part of someone's special day.  That part of things I enjoy, I get to vicariously experiences their happiness through my cameras lens.  It's beautiful.  So despite my not being a wedding photographer I am proud of the work that has come from the few I've been a part of.

Location, Location, Location

Two posts in one day :)  AND I still have a few other sessions to post samples of this week (the sessions are from weeks ago, I just haven't had time to update the blog).  This is just a shot I enjoyed, taken from a location scouting for a maternity session I'll be shooting this next Saturday.  There's something a little old worldy about it that I just dig.

I ♥ Maternity Sessions

I love, love, LOVE this shot.  There are so many things about it that work.  It was not a planned shot, it sort of came about during Daddy's attempt to occupy the little man while I shot singles of Mama's belly... they wandered behind the shot and we ran with it.  I love the light, I love the composition, the crop, the angle, and the subjects.  Not to mention that this shot was nearly SOOC!  I tweeked the levels a tad and that was it.  Took me less than three mins.  THIS is where I'm heading with my work.  THIS is what you can begin to expect more of :)

Gearing Up

I recently suffered a re-injury of my right knee and that combined with all the changes for my family (including a relocation over the Narrows bridge, which sometimes feels like a world away) I have only been shooting sporadically and typically only things that have specific time lines, i.e. pregnancy (babies wait for no photographer).  This all has me feeling a little angsty, a little hobbled.  It's hard to see the sun come shinning through the mini forest outside in my back yard and want to pick up my camera and just go shoot!  Only to realize I must restrain myself.  Bummer x 10.

In light of all of that super bummerness happening (yes, I'm aware that's not an actual word), things are finally starting to look up!  My range of movement is returning, the weather is staying mild, and I will have some new gear to test out within the month (so super excited about that).  I can't even begin to explain how happy this makes me.  I have missed shooting so much, and while I love my little mister, I'm looking forward to a broader range of subjects to put before my lens.

And I'll leave you with a few personal shots Jude and I did a week ago.  He really is a good little helper in regards to my photography so I can't complain.

On a side note, the last image is a SOOC (straight out of camera) shot.  The universe was in perfect harmony that day.

Through Jude's Eyes

Okay, I'm going to take a moment to shed some light on my super awesome son.  Don't be worried, I promise this post IS about photography, and it's not photos of Jude (which are common enough).  No, this is a post to tell you that my little man appears to have an affinity for the photographic arts just like his mama.

He started taking photos with his fathers i-Phone about two years ago.  Every once in a while he'd get lucky and something would like kind of cool but you could tell it was mostly just hit or miss.  We let him continue anyway, getting a feel for capturing moments.  He leaned toward up close, abstract images, bordering on macro (if the camera would allow it).  Next he was upgraded to using his Tutu's (grandmothers) point and shoot while we were in HI last Feb.  It became clear that the little man was, in fact, honing what seems to be a natural skill.  So we kept letting him use point and shoots and the i-Touch/i-Phones and I think we're finally at a place where his photos are really worth sharing with more than friends and family.

Last night I was talking with a dear friend and the conversation led to the idea of starting an Instagram account on behalf of Jude.  I would manage, obviously, but all the photos would be taken by Jude and then edited according to his wishes.  We tested it today and the photo that came from it is so awesome I was a little jealous, lol.  So here we go.  I've opened the account for him: Through Jude's Eyes.  I posted his first image, the one from today.  Again, taken BY him and he chose the editing techniques (meaning the filters on the ap) and the final product is his vision, I only assisted in the using of the technology.  The only prompting I gave him while he was taking shots consisted of "go for it buddy, whatever you want to take pictures of."  To which he replies, "I want to take pictures of everything!"  Have at it little man, it's all you.